There are mixed emotions running their course throughout the middle school this week: laughter, tears, elation about the summer break, sadness over friends graduating, and nervousness over inevitable new beginnings. Graduation rehearsal really made this hit home on Thursday.

This week, ends were tied in all of the classes and fun was had. Some highlights were the rockets in 7th year and reaching the end of our novels in Humanities classes. Spirit Week, including Water Day, was a big hit!

It has been a pleasure to teach your children and reflect about them each week. Looking back at past blog posts, it is amazing to see all the wonderful experiences they have encountered this year. All of the middle school teachers have loved this group and we couldn’t imagine having more fun while teaching. They truly make our jobs a pleasure. We will miss each and every student this summer and look forward to meeting again in the fall.

Where to begin with a summary of a jam-packed week…. We were lucky that the resort was a short 2 1/2 hour drive. This allowed us almost a full day of activities on Monday after arrival.

The houses were perfectly situated on a cul-de-sac at the edge of the resort’s property. They were impressive and surrounded by forest. Some of us even spotted a beautiful black bear the first afternoon!

We were lucky to have generous amounts of water and snacks to keep us going; although, Woodloch Pines definitely made sure no one was hungry! Each meal was multi-course and provided great variety, served like a restaurant. Some of us even feasted on oysters and king crab legs one night!

Each morning we were given all of the day’s activities and events. We were also lucky to have 4 adult chaperones, so there were times when we could offer as many as 4 options for a time period to hit on everyone’s interests. Below is a list of some of the activities we participated in:

rock climbing

escape room

go carts

ice skating

bingo

karaoke

paddle boating

mini golf

volleyball

soccer

tennis

zip line

comedy shows

dance party

People’s Court

trivia

swimming & water slide

Like Mr. Robertson stated in his email, we received multiple compliments on our group. Their enthusiasm for the activities and participation in the shows were noticed as well as their gracious manners and respectful behavior. We couldn’t be more proud to travel with this group of young adults!

The bonding experience for the students was, in my opinion, the best part of the trip. Being able to witness students be comfortable with their peers and with themselves as they navigated a new place, away from home, for four days is unique and impressive. Some even took healthy risks and challenged themselves to new activities.

This was, by far, one of the many highlights of the school year. We are already generating ideas for next year!

Thank you, again, for your patience yesterday as we dealt with a medical emergency and unforeseeable traffic with the middle school students during our travel that caused lateness. We had all hands on deck and made sure each of your children was physically and emotionally taken care of.

 

Congratulations to the 8th years on the completion of their outstanding Expert Projects! The students have been working rigorously for the past 5 months to become an expert on the topic of their choosing. On the evening of May 18th, they shared their expertise with the whole community.

One of the highlights of the 8th-grade year at Fraser Woods Montessori School is the Expert Project. This long-term research project requires dedication and organization, patience and hard work. The process begins with each student preparing proposal for their research. The students conduct research, read through their sources, and organize their information. The 8th year students reach out to experts in their fields of research, interview them and incorporate what they learn into their project. This project concludes with the Expert Night Presentations, a formal public presentation for the FWM community.

This year’s topics are Forensic Science, Obstacles in the World of Professional Dance, Neuroplasticity of the Brain, the Science of Laughter, the Creative Side of Album Production, Homeopathy, Social Justice in Sports.

The students were poised and their presentations were thoughtful and informative. We are so proud of their diligence and effort and feel grateful to have Mrs. Lamb who wholly supported them throughout the whole process.

The middle school has caught spring fever! Recess and electives this week have been especially glorious with the recent weather. It is evident that the kids are excited about being outside and their upcoming trip! Despite their rejuvenated energy, middle school students had a full week of academics.

In math, the 6th years started exploring geometry while the 7th years are solving systems of equations in a variety of ways.  The 8th years are looking at different ways to represent data.

During science classes, 6th years investigated the electromagnetic spectrum using prisms to depict light rays. The 7th years worked on their electricity unit. Students created a Versorium, an electroscope that gauges static electricity, to test what charge aluminum foil and paper carried. 8th years modeled the formation of mountain folds caused by the continuous movement of tectonic plates.

In humanities, 6th years learned about the history of Kabul, Afghanistan and about their current culture as they began the novel, Shooting Kabul. 7th years studied capitalism, socialism, and communism as well as important figures in Russian history during the first half of the 20th century in preparation for the beginning of Animal Farm. They are having fun identifying which historical events and figures are represented as animals in the novel. 8th years continued with To Kill A Mockingbird while revising their research papers and having run-throughs of their upcoming expert presentations.

Have a glorious weekend. We can’t wait to see you next Friday, May 18th at 6:30 p.m. for 8th year Expert Night!

Happy Friday! What a beautiful week, and it ended with a lovely Grandparents and Special Friends event. It was so nice to have visitors in our classes and be able to share the middle school environment.

Middle School spread their Kindness Rocks on the playground this week at the beginning of the week and younger students have enjoyed finding these inspiring treasures. One student likened it to an egg hunt!

This week, humanities classes were productive. 6th years completed drafts of their Egypt Game essays and completed a vocabulary lesson. They are ready to begin their study of Afghanistan and the novel Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai next week. 7th years completed drafts of their essays which asked them to support a quotation from using specific evidence from Facing the Lion and A Long Walk to Water. They also completed a vocabulary lesson. Next week, they begin their study of Russia and will read Animal Farm by George Orwell (books provided in class). 8th years continued their critical reading of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and looked at policy, education in the South from 1900-1950 (including Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. BOE), and the NAACP. 8th years are also gearing up for their Expert Project presentations! All classes read and listened to lyrics written by Bob Marley for poetry Tuesday, discussing the platform and influence of musicians (last week, 8th years spent time reviewing the artist Kendrick Lamar, a recent Pulitzer Prize winner).

Stock Market Fever is sweeping the entire middle school! In math classes,  all students are participating in the Stock Market Game, which explores the fundamentals of personal finance and investing while practicing content and skills in math. They are focusing on technical analysis and investing in companies that students believe in or support.

In Science, the 6th years worked on creating their own telescopes using convex lenses of different diameters. Students mounted these lenses onto meter sticks, adjusting the length as needed to focus. Next, the 7th years just wrapped up their unit on chemical reactions. Finally, the 8th years are working on designing the middle school bulletin board near the commons, illustrating their current unit on plate tectonics. Come check it out!

**As temperatures rise, it is important children remain hydrated.  Please have your child bring to school a filled water bottle with his or her name clearly written on the bottle or a label.

Happy Friday, everyone! Middle School had a full week beginning with a trip to the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. Students visited the Hayden Planetarium and viewed their current show, Dark Universe before exploring the museum.

Students also chose new electives for the third trimester! They will be participating in either Scrabble, frisbee golf, or big ball volleyball on F days.

Finally, Middle School prepared for a pizza & salad night before this week’s parent-child night! Cookies were baked, aprons made, and tables were set beforehand. Service was provided by our students and made the night a delicious success. Following the dinner was a lively game of parent-child dodgeball. Who knew the parents were such competitive dodgeball players?! Thank you to all who came to support!

Reminders:

**Science Fair is next Wednesday night, April 25th from 6:30-8pm! 

**Middle School trip forms are due to advisors by April 25th! All are attached to an email sent on Wednesday.